Science & Technology Content

Your Smart TV is Watching What You Watch

Andy Fell — December 18, 2024 - 2:45pm

If you’re thinking of buying a “smart” TV for the holidays, you ought to know that your new device is constantly capturing snapshots of what’s on screen and sending them back to the manufacturer — even if you are using the device as a computer monitor and not watching TV at all. The findings come from a recent study by computer scientists at the University of California, Davis; University College London; and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, published in Proceedings of the 2024 ACM on Internet Measurement Conference.

�ٺ��Ƶ Joins New $285 Million CHIPS Semiconductor Research Institute

Andy Fell — December 09, 2024 - 4:40pm

The University of California, Davis will be part of a new, $285 million nationwide institute dedicated to advancing research and manufacturing of American semiconductors.

The new institute, known as SMART USA (Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA) will develop, validate and use digital twins to improve domestic semiconductor design, manufacturing, advanced packaging, assembly and test processes.

A Chip to Measure Immunity

Andy Fell — December 04, 2024 - 4:16pm

Every winter, influenza returns with a new variant. People who have previously been infected with or vaccinated against flu may have some protection, but this depends on how well their immune system’s “memory” of the previous virus or vaccine cross-reacts with the new variant. At present, there is no good way to measure this. A new NIH-funded project by researchers at the University of California, Davis and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health aims to solve that problem with a new device to measure this immune system “memory” in the blood.

Christmas Trees’ Distinctive Aroma Helps Ward off Pathogens and Pests

Andy Fell — November 25, 2024 - 8:30am

Each year, nearly 30 million Americans purchase a real tree for the holidays. Growing the perfect Christmas tree takes about seven years, during which farmers need to keep insects, fungal pathogens and hungry deer at bay. While researchers suspect the distinctive piney smell the trees emit plays a role in deterring these pests, not all trees smell the same, and which chemical blends confer resistance is unclear.

Transparent Worms with Glowing Proteins May Help Fertility Treatments

Andy Fell — November 21, 2024 - 2:03pm

The development of maternal egg cells is pivotal for survival – but also precarious. During meiosis, the DNA-containing chromosomes can easily be broken or lost, causing infertility, miscarriage or genetic disorders like Down syndrome. Scientists have struggled to study these crucial cellular events in humans and other mammals.

Making High-yielding Rice Affordable and Sustainable

Andy Fell — November 20, 2024 - 10:53am

Rice is a staple food crop for more than half the world’s population, but most farmers don’t grow high-yielding varieties because the seeds are too expensive. Researchers from the University of California’s Davis and Berkeley campuses have identified a potential solution: activating two genes in rice egg cells that trigger their development into embryos without the need for fertilization, which would efficiently create high-yielding clonal strains of rice and other crops.

Asthma May Place Children at Risk of Memory Difficulties, New Research Finds

Andy Fell — November 12, 2024 - 2:41pm

Asthma is associated with memory difficulties in children, and early onset of asthma may exacerbate memory deficits, according to a new study from the University of California, Davis. The study, the first of its kind to connect asthma to memory deficits in children, was published in Nov. 5 in JAMA Network Open.

Assessing the Real Climate Costs of Manufacturing

Andy Fell — October 24, 2024 - 11:42am

Producing materials such as steel, plastics and cement in the United States alone inflicts $79 billion a year in climate-related damage around the world, according to a new study by engineers and economists at the University of California, Davis. Accounting for these costs in market prices could encourage progress toward climate-friendly alternatives.

Catalyzing Change: Engineering Enzymes to Meet Human Needs

Jocelyn C Anderson — October 01, 2024 - 9:05am

Enzyme engineering is key to the future of human health. The Design2Data program teaches students to solve problems in the food, energy and health industries.

�ٺ��Ƶ to Launch Engineering Master’s Degree in Medical Device Development

Bill Kisliuk — September 11, 2024 - 9:00am

The �ٺ��Ƶ Department of Biomedical Engineering is launching a new nine-month master’s degree program in medical device development at Aggie Square, the expansive innovation district the university will open in Sacramento in 2025. The program combines hands-on training with entrepreneurial expertise that aims to fast-track careers in industry.